Dietary Necrotic Liver Degeneration and Coenzyme A

Abstract

Summary

Rats develop a metabolic lesion of the liver (respiratory decline in the Warburg) and subsequent dietary necrotic liver degeneration when fed a vit. E-free ration containing 30% Torula yeast as the sole source of protein. Depressed liver CoA values are observed in such animals. It is shown that CoA is not elevated by feeding of protective amounts of vit. E or Factor 3. Cystine, methionine, and cysteine, on the other hand, which promote growth under these conditions, raise the liver CoA values to near-normal levels. This action is not correlated to the varying degree of protection against liver necrosis and against the prenecrotic respiratory decline afforded by the individual S-amino acids. Hence, there is no apparent etiological relationship between concentration of CoA in the liver and the development of dietary necrotic liver degeneration.